2008-06-14

Rengay Through the Seasons #41 Summary

by Masago: Rengay #41 (Jun 8-14, 2008) Summary

Their Points

Oh mosquito,
little one in my shower...
cease fire?

A rain drop hits the earth —
the ant changes course.

Hornets under
the back porch — the front
gets busier.

A bee embraces
a rose blossom — the stinger
points skyward.

Sun-facing spider web —
each dew drop, a jewel.

Broad daylight —
a sudden tiny sting,
and no deerfly!

The central theme in this rengay is "Biting Insects". There is also a pattern in that the insects in all the verse are insects that fly, except to two-line verses in which the insects do not typically fly (ant and spider).

Verse 6 describes the experience of feeling a sting or a pinch, looking down and seeing where the deerfly or horsefly had bitten. It is amazing how they can land, bite, take off, and you don't feel a thing till after they've left!

The title "Their Points" has two meanings: their stinging "body part" (that typically is a point), and the idea that the insects make their points by stinging. There is a sense of power in these biters and they are not afraid of big creatures. Whatever these insects do, they sort of make their points.

Please click here for link details and other notes:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pcytHc47X3uBEniqLS2NqBw&gid=0

Click here for the previous rengay in the series.

7 comments:

J. Andrew Lockhart said...

it may have been painful for you, but I really liked this one. :)

jem said...

This one worked well. Every time you amaze me at how much scope there is within quite a limited theme. Super stuff.

polona said...

ants fly, too - in mating season :)
but it's true i have never seen arachnids with wings

love the title!

Masago said...

Andrew: LOL, it wasn't so bad. Thanks!

Jem: Thank you for your kind words.

Polona: Yes, of course. That is why I said, "insects do not TYPICALLY fly". :-) Thank you.

Janice Thomson said...

Vaughn this was an exceptional series. Each verse is well crafted giving one a greater appreciation of the insect world and the role they play.
I chuckled when reading the hornet verse for 2 reasons - 1)just snapped a photo yesterday of one and 2)they've made a huge nest deep inside the light fixture above the back door - now they are building little structures just underneath the flap of the covering over the swing set - I'm unsure too how to remove them without harming them :)

Pamela said...

I'm holding perfectly still-- for the hornet and the bee -- but flailing like an idiot for all the others.

wonderful pictures -- each verse.

Masago said...

Pamela: Some of them do command respect. :-) Thanks!